- ALEXANDRIA, Virginia -- The
Journal of Dental Research has published the results of the first successful
regeneration of teeth. Researchers found that when cells obtained from
immature teeth of sixth-month-old pigs were seeded onto biodegradable polymer
scaffolds and placed in rat hosts, small, recognizable tooth crowns formed
within 30 weeks.
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- As published in the October 2002 issue of the Journal,
researchers at The Forsyth Institute are the first to report using dissociated
tooth tissues (tooth buds enzymatically digested into single cells) combined
with polymer scaffolding (a technique used to form a pattern for human
tissues and organs) to regenerate teeth. Researchers from other laboratories
had previously used alternative approaches to form partial tooth structures
including dentin and pulp, but none had grown complete structures that
included enamel.
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- The research also suggests the existence of dental stem
cellsówhich could be key to bioengineering human teeth. ìThe
ability to identify, isolate, and propagate dental stem cells to use in
biological replacement tooth therapy has the potential to revolutionize
dentistry,î said Dominick P. DePaola, DDS, PhD, president and chief
executive officer of The Forsyth Institute, the independent research organization
where the work was conducted. Dr. DePaola is also the Vice-president of
the American Association for Dental Research, one of the publishers of
the Journal of Dental Research.
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- These recent findings emphasize the importance of dental
and oral research, as well as the ongoing need for funding of projects.
The research has resulted in coverage by not just the dental press, but
also the general media worldwide. According to Mark C. Herzberg, DDS,
PhD, Editor of the Journal and professor in the Department of Oral Sciences
at the University of Minnesota, ìThe JDR publishes major scientific
advances quickly and puts important and reliable information into the hands
of the scientific community and the public. The JDR is a highly credible
peer-reviewed publication, given the breadth of this recent international
media coverage.î
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- The Journal of Dental Research is published jointly by
the International Association for Dental Research and the American Association
for Dental Research, both based in Alexandria, Virginia. The JDR is the
#1 dental journal in the world, with a Scientific Impact Factor of 3.35
(a measurement of its citation in other works) and a circulation of over
6,000.
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- The International Association for Dental Research was
established in 1920 to promote research in all aspects of oral and related
sciences, to encourage development of improved methods for prevention and
treatment of oral and dental diseases, and to facilitate cooperation among
investigators and communication of research findings and their implications
throughout the world. The IADR, a non-profit organization, has over 11,000
active individual members and over 100 institutional members worldwide.
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- The American Association for Dental Research (a Division
of the International Association for Dental Research) is a non-profit organization
with over 6,000 individual members and 100 institutional members within
the U.S.
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- Contact Linda Hemphill Linda@iadr.org http://www.iadr.com/press/releases/10302.htm
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